Apple Releases 'Tracker Detect' App to Prevent Android Users From Being Tracked by AirTags

Apple today released a new "Tracker Detect" app on the Google Play Store, with the app designed to allow Android users to locate AirTags that might be nearby.

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According to the app's description, Tracker Detect looks for item trackers that are separated from their owner and that are compatible with the Find My Network, so it will locate AirTags and other Find My-enabled devices like the Chipolo Bluetooth item tracker.

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Apple says that Android users can scan to find a nearby AirTag if they think that someone is using an ‌AirTag‌ or another device to track their location. The app is designed to alleviate fears from experts worried that AirTags can be used maliciously to track the location of individuals.

For iPhone users, Apple previously introduced several safety features, including an alert that will let an ‌iPhone‌ user know if an ‌AirTag‌ that does not belong to them is following them. There was no such protection for Android users prior to the introduction of the Tracker Detect app, which Apple said it was working on back in June.

An Apple Support document on the feature says that if the app detects an ‌AirTag‌ or Find My-compatible item tracker nearby for at least 10 minutes, a sound can be used to help locate it. Conducting a scan will reveal any nearby AirTags, and after offering up a tool to play a sound to locate the ‌AirTag‌, Apple will offer information on how to disable it by removing the battery.

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Top Rated Comments

tooloud10 Avatar
47 months ago
Weird how so many people have been criticizing Apple about detecting unknown AirTags and you never heard anything like that in all the years that Tile has been operating.

I think the rush for ways to detect unknown AirTags actually makes them significantly less useful. I was able to recover a stolen item worth over $2k because of an AirTag--the thief was charged and currently in jail but if my AirTag had alerted him to its presence it would have defeated the whole point.
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
47 months ago
Apple sure is making it as hard as possible to use this technology to track down stolen items.

This was like, the number one potential use of Airtags and they totally nerfed it.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hansenc Avatar
47 months ago
Each and every update are making apple AirTags less useful in tracking items that might have been intentionally stolen.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Loudsilvereel Avatar
47 months ago
So you can use this to detect stuff around you that the owner isn’t nearby? Hmm yeah can’t see this being misused.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drumpat01 Avatar
47 months ago
So I got the app, I have to manually open it and force it to scan. So the onus is still on the user. I have to THINK I'm being tracked and then search for if I am being tracked or not. I wish it would just prompt you as soon as it detected something just like iOS does.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dvanwinkle Avatar
47 months ago

wow. that is just shameful. thank you for reporting.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't. If they were tracking at all times they would be blamed for privacy issues.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)